fowlbird Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 re: slugs and snails - our chooks consider them a delicacy. They spend all their afternoons searching for them. Once a week I let them in to the greenhouse and they give it a good going over. We regularly move pots and containers to find the 'orrible creatures for them. It's the best way to control slugs and snails - that and frogs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Nice work chooks. But, our garden is absolute haven for frogs but is still completely over run with slugs. Now have 2 chickens who just don't seem to eat them..not even small ones...if I turn some up when gardening they look at me as if to say "well would you eat that?" And I was hoping they'd even manage the large ones too. However, I won't use slug pellets...this year I'm going to use the crushed shell around plants plus grapefruit methods, which have been successful before (in a small way!) By the way, don't forget Karen that your garden may contain thousands of creatures that remain hidden but are thriving! Frogs & newts spend most of the year hidden in moist places & only visit the pond occasionally and when mating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fowlbird Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Hi, sheila! I've never before known a chook which wouldn't eat slugs and snails - except in Ireland where some slugs were nearly a foot long... even then our girls would eat the smaller ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 As far as Maddy is concerned if it's a slug/insect and she can get it in her beak regardless of size then it's eaten. You should see the size of some of the slugs she's had, actually it's not a pretty sight maybe you shouldn't see it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 I've even tried handfeeding small slugs to encourage them, no success. Perhaps they eat some when I'm not looking but I have been watching a lot! It was a while before I even saw a worm taken, perhaps they're still discovering what they like (love woodlice)...or I have 2 squeamish chickens! Your fruit sounds promising, Fowlbird. Yummm. We have a sprawling fig which does bear a good crop but, as you describe, not always ripe in time. I've heard the whys & wherefores on figs discussed a lot but I think luck is the main factor, growing in this country. We've never done anything extra to the tree. Because of its sprawl, it does receive severe pruning sometimes (esp. by neighbours. ..don't they like trees/figs?) With our weather, sometimes the cycle just doesn't work out. However, some years have been good...but we gave loads to a French friend who misses them...I must admit, we haven't really eaten them ourselves...We just like the tree! We are in Sunny SouthEast...what is your location? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Somehow answered question about figs from a different topic (well, it is late)...good thing its relevant, does make me sound mad though ..no change there then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen1 Posted April 12, 2005 Author Share Posted April 12, 2005 I'm very new to gardening. This is the first year I've planted seeds. Various herbs, and flowers. Hi Ketty I'm new to gardening as well. I've planted lots of seeds in the garden, in pots, in the greenhouse, etc. They all seem to be coming up ok, but I'm starting to get paranoid about slugs, etc. I've been reading gardening books and magazines, and all I seem to read about is various pests and diseases that will attack my veg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen1 Posted April 15, 2005 Author Share Posted April 15, 2005 Does anyone know a good mail-order website where I can get large flowerpots? I just want some plastic ones to put my tomato plants in. I think I need 10-12 inch pots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Sorry Karen, I don't. Have you tried just doing a Google Search to see what comes up? Does anyone else practise Square Foot Gardening? There was a short article in Kitchen Garden recently and Carl and I went on a day course about it about 5 years ago. We do it in a small way and keep talking about doing it on a larger scale but it is difficult to get out of the habits of a lifetime! Lauren and Jake have been veggie gardening with us since they were 18 months old using any odd space we had spare, but this year Lauren understands the Square Foot principles and has her own little plot. We have renamed it Square 30 Gardening - it took me ages to explain what a foot was! It is an excellent way to grow a decent supply of crops in a very small space and is ideal for those with only a small space to grow veg and also ideal for children as they see a decent return for their hard work Lauren has drawn up her plan and will be growing quite a lot. They are only here on Tues and Thurs after school but that is plenty of time for taking care of their plots (Jakes is smaller) So - Does anyone else use this method and would anyone like details? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Me please Lesley. My garden is big but the soil is heavy clay, hard to work and most seeds just die off. When I saw the thing about square foot gardening I thought it might be the answer for me. I've made two raised beds (2m x1M)and have got some seeds to get going but not sure where to start now. I think I have a plan but I know me, it will change. Do you have tips or a newbie please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Intrested ... also, would it be an idea to put a gardening section in the Gallery, so we can see how everyone does things with the space they have . Might post a poll. . I suppose enough of us have an interest to make it a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Yes I am interested as well Lesley I try to grow veg in the borders in the back garden but it is a bit hit and miss......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 OK I'll be back later with a starters guide! The beds they use are 4' square in case anyone needs to make best use of todays weather, although 1m could be used. Lauren's is 2' square giving her 4 small beds, all a foot square. The big ones have 16 squares in. Sarah mentioned in her gardening topic that she is doing Courgettes up canes/string - that is the way to do it using Square 30, cucumbers as well. Back later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Just got my mini green house up too so already and raring to go, just what to plant first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 I've posted photos of my garden in the Gallery - before the weeds take over! I got a bit carried away - sorry It's called Chickens in the Garden. We overwintered quite a few crops, Onions, Garlic , Shallots, Broad Beans and Peas. The new stuff is in pots in the polytunnel - Runner Beans, Sweetcorn, Courgettes, Pumkin, Tomatoes, Chillies and Sweet Peas. We have a herb garden with slate paths which I forgot to photograph! and also herbs around in the beds with shrubs and near the back door.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Wow Lesley you have masses of room, now you know the pic you took of very small pond thats the size of my veg plot, honestly it is a little bigger but not much it is about 3' x 3' so I really don't have much room, but i am growing things in pots and I have an old sink for shallots.............I am so jealous of your lovely garden you must spend so much time in it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Yes - weeding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leanne Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Lesley, your garden looks lovely, and so organised! please post some more pics later in the year when the veggie beds are in full growth. its really interesting to see how others go about things, so thanks for the insight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Lesley ... wish I hadn't started the allotment/garden thing ... do you have the whole streets alloted space too . You are soooo lucky, Graham would kill, for space like that ... I would have to do all the work though. Absolutely Fabolous Darling , I can't think of anything else to say ... soooo JEALOUS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Thank you all - it's been hard work. Where the chickens, lawn and swing and two new beds are was field this time last year. We bought some of the field off the farmer 1 week before the girls arrived! Big fence went up between us and 'her next door who doesn't speak to us' - she didn't know we'd got chickens for ages! The new bit was shoulder high in bramble and nettles, the main garden has a problem with bindweed. We don't use any chemicals and only hand weed. We treat out garden like an allottment I like straight lines and so it suits veggie plots. There are shrubs and flowers for the beneficial insects and birds but they get two choices - live or die! This year we haven't done any Square 30 plots except Laurens but next year we are going to use the one plot which currently has onions in and change it completely to Square 30. I'll be back later with Square 30 info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 The best bit was the vines and hops ... No only kidding . You have Monty Don to visit ... or it certainly looks like it .. I will show Graham later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 If I had Monty Don visiting I wouldn't be in here posting (or gardening! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Lesley sent me a PM entitled "Help" to say she'd posted garden photos so I've added some of my tiny plot to make her feel better - hope it works, Lesley!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Thanks Kate - they are great photos! Your lawn has come on since the last photos I saw. When you lawn was all mud - why didn't you just turn them into veggie plots! Send the boys somewhere else to play! When we moved here the first thing we did was dig up most of the lawn and made the four veg plots. I stuck a sign outside offering the turf free and a neighbour came and barrowed it away We left a lond central part for playing Boules. Then we removed the front lawn and made the fruit cage and herb garden. Now we've just made a new lawn but might yet put more chickens on it! (for meat!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
